Email me: lylewisdom@gmail.com

Tuesday, July 28, 2009

Forest or Trees

Some folks can't see the forest for the trees. Other folks can't see the trees for the forest. - Lyle


They that can see the big picture as well as examine the minutia deserve to be the boss.


(Other posts on Management)

Sunday, July 19, 2009

Irritating Aren't They

A fanatic is one who can't change his mind and won't change the subject. - Sir Winston Churchill


We've all seen 'em and been irritated by 'em.


(Other posts on Change)

Saturday, July 18, 2009

Alliance With Evil

It is a power stronger than will. Could a stone escape from the laws of gravity? Impossible. Impossible, for evil to form an alliance with good. - Isidore Ducasse Lautreamont


Even the smallest part of evil is evil.


(Other posts on Morals)

Friday, July 17, 2009

Credulous About Credit?

A creditor is worse than a slave-owner; for the master owns only your person, but a creditor owns your dignity, and can command it. - Victor Hugo


Throw away your credit card. Save, then spend - spending to save doesn't make sense.


(Other posts on Money)

Thursday, July 16, 2009

Beautiful Work

A belief in work ought to be a thing of beauty. - Malclom Gladwell (in his book Outliers)


This is not the normal time for me to do an expanded post but this simple quote struck me so hard I have to respond at length. 


He says "belief in work", rather than simply saying "work" (with the implication that work is good). What he is saying is that the individual should see work as a thing of beauty and that the observer of those who work as creating and performing meaningful work are creating a thing of beauty. I had a physics professor in college who told me once "There are no lousy jobs, just lousy people who complain about their jobs." He understood. My father told me often "If you want a job that will last forever get a job as a janitor because people will always be dirty and will need to be cleaned up after." He said this without the slightest hint that Janitor was at all a demeaning job. He understood. 


The work you do today may not reward you to your satisfaction. You may want a better paying job; a more rewarding job; but that does not mean the work you do today should not be admired. It may not be the job for you, but that has no relation to the value or beauty of the work the job entails. It should not, under any circumstances, cause you to not think of work as a thing of beauty.

Saturday, July 4, 2009

Opportunity and Danger

The optimist sees opportunity in every danger; the pessimist sees danger in every opportunity. - Winston Churchill


The well balanced weigh the opportunity and danger.


(Other posts on Opportunity)

Friday, July 3, 2009

Height and Depth

The height of your accomplishments will equal the depth of your convictions. - William F. Scolavino


Seth Godin calls it getting through the dip.


(Other posts on Achievement)

Thursday, July 2, 2009

Quest Quotient

Only the curious will learn and only the resolute overcome the obstacles to learning. The quest quotient has always excited me more than the intelligence quotient. - Eugene S. Wilson

Remember that when you go to hire someone.

(Other quotes on Management)